Paradigm
by PrinceSolaris
Summary: Weapons don't have instincts. Weapons don't have loyalty. Weapons don't have judgement. Officers do. But what happens when the officer becomes the weapon? How far can we push technology before it starts pushing back?
1. Prologue: The Sinewave Corporation

_Prologue: The Sinewave Corporation_

Zootopia's Downtown was always busy no matter the time of day. Throughout the day, mammals flocked to its high-rise office structures to work their nine-to-five, and to entertainment venues to enjoy themselves in the city where anyone can be anything. It's status as the nation's capitol makes it a global hub, giving mammals from all across the world an astonishing first look into the culture of Animalia. It's what also sparks the tiny flame that will eventually grow into the roaring fire that is "The Animalian Dream." Anyone can make it in Zootopia. It's what the city is known for. All you need is time, patience, hard work, and a little bit of cash.

**_Zootopia – Lotus Towers – March 24__th__, 2030_**

In the center of Downtown stood the heart and brains of one of Animalia's largest financial institutions: the main branch of Lotus National Bank. With two structures in total, they took a commanding post in Zootopia's skyline, with both clocking in at ninety floors. The concrete of the towers had a lavender hue to it, fitting in nicely with the colorfulness of the city's other skyscrapers. The blue tinted glass only added to the structure's beauty.

A straight shot from the buildings' courtyard was a little driveway, a section of road devoted entirely to pickups and drop offs. On a brisk spring morning, at 8:47 A.M, a large sedan pulled into that driveway. The sun's light reflected off of the vehicle's glossy black finish, a stark contrast to the vividness of the buildings around it. Four mammals, all felines, piled out of the rear of the car and began walking toward the entrance to Lotus East, the primary tower. As they crossed the courtyard, one of the smaller felines, a snow leopard, tapped the leader, a lion, on the shoulder.

"Sir, are you sure you want to do the pitch like that?" she asked. The lion glanced down at his right paw, which was wrapped in a thick layer of Ace bandages. He pulled back the sleeve of his suit jacket and followed the bandage layer as far as he could see. He nodded.

"Yes, we're already here. Besides, I want the best chance of getting the grant we need," the lion replied, removing his shades. When they approached the building, he held open the door for his group mates checking the time on his watch as he did. "Ten to nine."

The lobby of the bank was more reserved an professional looking than the outside, with marble pillars rising from the floor, also made of marble. To the right of the doors was a service desk, where clients would check in and make appointments. To the left was a sleek waiting area, filled with giant televisions and modern décor. The lion placed his shades in the breast pocket of his jacket before approaching the counter. Behind the desk was a cheetah dressed in professional attire bearing the Lotus logo. She looked up at the lion with a smile.

"How can I help you?" she asked. The lion flashed a smile.

"My friends and I have a rather important meeting with Carrier, Krevier, and Sullivan," he replied. The cheetah nodded once before glancing down at the screen below her. After a few clicks from the mouse she looked back up expectantly.

"Name and reason?" The lion was prepared for this question and produced a business card. He passed it off to the receptionist and allowed her to study it.

"My name's Atlas Rhodes, founding member of the Sinewave Corporation. Our reason for application is to acquire the money we need to finalize our working prototype for the next step in mammalian technological advancements," he replied proudly. He had rehearsed the line several times in his mind in the days leading up to the meeting. After his flawless recital, Atlas glanced back down at the cheetah. She input his name into the scheduler and sure enough, his time slot popped up on the screen.

"Okay, Mr. Rhodes, your appointment will be in the meeting room on the eighty-fifth floor, room 8505. I will notify Mr. Carrier, Mr. Krevier, and Mr. Sullivan of your arrival," she said. Atlas smiled and motioned for his group mates to follow him to the elevators. He pushed the button to call the elevator, but was pleasantly surprised to see that it was already on the ground floor waiting. The four felines entered the elevator and Atlas pressed the button numbered '85.' The doors promptly closed and the car began moving upward. Another one of the group members, also a cheetah, looked up at Atlas, who had his arms crossed in front of him.

"Sir, isn't it a little dishonest to tell them that the prototype isn't finished? Investors don't like being lied to..." he said worriedly. Atlas scoffed.

"I'm sure they'll appreciate the surprise once all is revealed," he replied smoothly. Atlas' words were reassuring enough for the cheetah and he fell silent. The rest of the elevator ride was spent in silence. As they felt the car begin to slow down, they prepared to make their exit. Once the doors opened, they were greeted by a small gray fox. The four felines stepped out of the elevator car and awaited instruction.

"The meeting hall is just down the corridor, and your counterparts will be with you shortly. Please be ready for their entry," he stated. He pointed down the hall to to the room at the very end. Atlas thanked the fox and began making his way to the gorgeous dark oak double doors at the end of the hallway. He waited for his partners to catch up before putting a large paw on the doorknob.

"Remember the plan. Just like we talked about," whispered Atlas as he pulled open the doors. The meeting room was nothing short of luxurious. Fine material chairs surrounded the large dark oak desk in the middle of the room, and the carpet was in pristine conditions. Atlas followed the desk all the way to the furthest wall, which had a massive display mounted on the wall; currently displaying the Lotus branding. To the left were floor-to-ceiling windows that granted a breathtaking view of the city below From where he was standing, Atlas could see all the way to the harbor in the south of Savannah Central. He pulled himself away from the window and faced his group mates.

"Jason, get your slideshow on that display," he said, pointing at the large screen at the end of the room. The cheetah nodded. He produced a small notebook computer and placed it on the desk below. He opened it up and began tracing his finger along the trackpad. Within seconds, he wirelessly projected the computer's screen to the larger one, the presentation ready to go at a moment's notice.

"We are online," said Jason with a thumbs up. Atlas shot him a smile and a nod.

"Kylie, get your documents ready." The snow leopard flashed a yellow file folder.

"All ready," she replied, passing the folder to Atlas. He looked through each page carefully, looking for any that were out of order or missing. Satisfied, he handed the folder back to Kylie.

"Tyson, once they agree to grant us the money, I'll need you to take care of all the transfer information and contracts." The last feline, a lynx, looked up at Atlas with doubt.

"But what if they don't grant us the money? I would have come for nothing," he argued. Atlas rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Tyse, don't think like that. What do I always say?" he asked playfully, putting a paw on the lynx's shoulder. Tyson sighed

"Think positive?" he said. Atlas smiled.

"Right, think positive. Now, across from Jason at the back, I'm gonna need Kylie during the pitch," Atlas replied. Tyson nodded and obeyed Atlas' word. He crossed the room and sat across from Jason, who was busy checking emails on his phone while he waited for his cue. As his partners prepared, Atlas heard a noise coming from outside the meeting room. Quickly, he turned around and notified everyone. "They're here!" He took his seat across from Kylie as the doors to the room opened again.

In walked three mammals wearing matching black suits. Each mammal had a different colored tie, and aside from their species was their only differentiating feature. Atlas was immediately able to tell who was who. The one on the left, the black bear with the red tie, was Arin Carrier. He was the one that most mammals would recognize as the face of Lotus Bank. On the right, the moose with the blue tie, was Daniel Sullivan, the one who dealt with smaller clients. Finally, in the middle, the black wolf with the purple tie, was Diego Krevier. Krevier was the true head of Lotus Bank. Anything and everything was ultimately up to him, and he always brought Carrier and Sullivan with him wherever he went to aid in the decision making process. The small gray fox from before stepped in front of the three mammals, turning around to address them.

"The ones you see before you are from the Sinewave Corporation. They wish to acquire a grant from Lotus Bank for the final stages of prototyping for a product that will quote 'change the way mammals live.' From left to right, front to back, we have Founder, Mr. Atlas Rhodes, Chief Medical Scientist, Ms. Kylie Bell, Lead Accountant, Mr. Tyson Manning, and Head of Programming, Mr. Jason DelStrata."

"Thank you, now if you could be so kind as to leave us to our business?" asked Krevier, pointing the fox toward the door. The fox nodded and quickly disappeared, closing the doors behind him. The three mammals took their seats at the opposite end of the table from Atlas' group. Krevier stared at Atlas. "I trust you're ready?" Atlas nodded

"Of course, sir." Krevier produced a small black remote from his pocket and pointed it at the large display. The display powered on and showed the title slide for Atlas' accompanying slideshow. Krevier then hit another button, and Atlas watched in amazement as the middle section of the table began to descend into the floor, creating a space for any would-be presenter to walk.

"I've never seen this in a boardroom before," Atlas commented. A small smile crept onto Krevier's face.

"I'm glad you like it too. Now, what have you for us, Mr. Rhodes?" Atlas swallowed hard. Jason turned to the first slide, which contained the Sinewave Corporation's logo. Atlas glanced at it briefly before turning to face his judges.

"Well, good morning, first of all. As your little fox friend already stated, my name is Atlas Rhodes and I am the founder of the Sinewave Corporation. Now, before I get into our product, I want to tell you what we're all about. The Sinewave Corporation is all about progress. As you know, growth in the technology sector is beginning to plateau, and you would expect to see that after nearly fifty years of continuous progress. We have reached a level where technology is no longer required to be innovative. All your company needs to do is meet the demand and you'll do good. However, without innovation, stagnation eventually becomes a huge issue, and with stagnation comes boredom, comes collapse, and comes death."

"I founded the Sinewave Corporation because I do not want to sit idly by and watch the technology sector keel over and die a slow, painful death. Yes, technology is now, and will forever be a part of our lives, but it won't be as important or as magical as it was all those years ago. Remember how excited the world was when you could fit a personal computer in your own home. Remember how shocked everyone was at the smooth user experience of the first iPhone. Remember how amazed everyone was when autonomous vehicles, pilotless flights, and delivery drones made their commercial debut."

"Our goal is to further the reach of the technology sector. You may be thinking that that's impossible, that technology has expanded as far as it could possibly go, but that's where I prove you wrong. Technology plays a part in nearly everything you can think of. It is a part of every career, every hobby, every household, every business. What possible area of life could there be to expand to. Well, I have your answer. It's you." Krevier glared at him, unimpressed. He raised an eyebrow as if to ask: 'Really?'

"Now I'm not talking about slapping another gadget in your pocket. We've been down this road before, and everything's pretty much as space efficient as it'll get, and I'm not even talking about wearable tech either. This isn't another 'smart watch' or 'AR glass.' What I'm getting at is...How should I put this...This will bring us closer to technology than ever before." Jason pulled up the next slide. The images on the slide were highly detailed sketches of a lion with a prosthetic arm. There were multiple angles, showing off the arm in many different positions.

"What we have here new breed of prosthetic that returns the function of lost or missing limbs better than any before it. Current robotic prosthetics rely on inconvenient external power, clunky pre-programmed movements, and overall sluggishness. In addition, they are very expensive to create, and to maintain. Our prosthetic eliminates all of those problems. Our prosthetic is fast, responsive, lightweight, and requires no external power. To achieve this, we have gone beyond the natural order, combined mammal and machine, and created neuroprosthesis." Atlas paused. Krevier rubbed his chin, processing what Atlas had just told him.

"Hmm...Neuroprosthesis. Explain how it works," asked Krevier, looking back up at Atlas and crossing his arms. Atlas nodded

"Of course. The main concept of the neuroprosthetic is that it is hard-wired directly into your central nervous system. The way the nervous system works is that signals are sent from the brain, through the nervous system, and to the muscles. These signals tell the muscles to contract and relax and move the different parts of the body. When a mammal is paralyzed, the path the signals travel is damaged, preventing them from reaching the muscles. The way neuroprosthesis works is that the paths are reestablished through the means of small wires connecting to where the signal is last traced. Then the wires carry the signals to the prosthetic to move hundreds of tiny motor systems to recreate the contraction and relaxation of the muscle required for motor function." Krevier raised an eyebrow.

"While this does sound rather impressive, and the technology is certainly bleeding edge, I'm hard-pressed to think of a market that would generate capital for your neuroprosthetic limbs..." Krevier said, trailing off.

"Er, there is one more thing this prosthetic is capable of, sir," Atlas added, smile never leaving his face. Krevier tilted his head.

"Oh, really? What is it?" he asked.

"Mr. Krevier, have you ever heard of the term 'cybernetic enhancement?'" replied Atlas, confidence returning. His question seemed to have rekindled Krevier's interest in the pitch, as he leaned forward in his chair.

"I haven't...Would you care to tell me?"

"Cybernetic enhancement is the process of willfully having a limb removed and replaced with a mechanical equivalent, where the new limb is of greater functionality than the original. Since the prosthetic is made of such high quality materials, it is stronger, and many times more resistant than flesh and bone. A mammal can have all of their limbs replaced with mechanical versions and see massive improvements to physical strength, speed, and agility. The only downside is, of course, recipients would have to go through months, potentially years of rehabilitation in order to adjust to and make use of the new limbs. If our prosthetic is used in this manner, I can foresee great improvements in security, law enforcement, and military personnel's abilities and efficiency. In a few short words, we would be creating 'super' variants of all of these mammals." Krevier smiled.

"Fascinating. Give mammals the ability to surpass the limits set by their biology. And you said the prototype was in its final stages? It's a shame, really. I would have loved to see what your team has created in person..." Atlas' heart skipped a beat. "Maybe even a demonstration," Atlas prepared to speak again but was silenced when Krevier lifted his paw. "I am interested to see where this could go, Mr. Rhodes. So, I will grant you a small sum to complete your prototype prosthetic. Once complete, we will discuss from there." Atlas faked a sigh.

"Mr Krevier, I'm afraid I must admit that I have been lying to you this entire time." Krevier's smile quickly disappeared.

"Oh? How so?"

"I lied to you when I said that our prototype was incomplete. It actually is, in fact, complete." In one swift motion, Atlas unraveled the layer of bandages on his right arm, tossing them to the ground. He then turned around and removed his suit jacket to reveal that his shirt was missing one of its sleeves; the right one. He turned back around to face a bewildered Krevier and extended his arms. Just like the lion in the slideshow, Atlas' right arm had been replaced with the same neuroprosthetic he had been discussing throughout the entire pitch. Atlas flashed Krevier a toothy grin. "And it's fully functional."

Krevier left his seat and approached the lion in front of him. He carefully observed the prosthetic arm from all angles, making sure to take in every last detail. As he looked, Atlas made sure to move it occasionally, which only fascinated Krevier even more. After five minutes of silent adoration, Krevier returned to his post in front of Atlas.

"It's incredible. How did this come to be?" he asked breathlessly.

"This prosthetic is the product of nearly twenty years of research, testing, and patience. We have tested possibly thousands of different designs, and it all culminates to this. This specific limb was in testing for two years before it was deemed acceptable, and I searched for a test subject willing to accept it for another two. After finding no one who would take the risk, I bit the bullet and became the test subject. I put myself under the knife for the sake of progress. I took the risk, and it has paid off in spades. I have been living with it for just over a year now, and as you can see, the functionality is the same as my organic arm."

"This is definitely a revolution. A new way to utilize technology, not only to benefit ourselves, but to benefit others as well. Mr. Rhodes, If I recall correctly, you said something about the prosthetic arm being stronger and more resistant, yes?" Atlas nodded. "I see. Could you step aside, please?" Atlas, though confused, obliged, and stepped away from the center of the room. Krevier produced the same remote as before and pushed one of the buttons. In front of his very eyes, the middle section of the table began to rise from the floor.

"Mr. Krevier, if you don't mind my asking, what are you doing?" said Atlas.

"I would like for you to demonstrate the arm's increased ability," replied Krevier. Atlas was shocked.

"How?" Krevier smirked.

"Break the desk," he said. Atlas' eyes widened.

"Beg your pardon?"

"Break the desk," Krevier repeated. He was loud and clear about his demands. Krevier wanted Atlas to punch a whole clean through the desk. Atlas, however, was doubtful.

"Sir, I hardly think this is the place. If you want, we could set something up?" Atlas asked, frantically trying to get out of doing what Krevier had asked.

"I'll have it replaced, so don't you worry about it," Krevier said. This reassured Atlas. He stared down at the desk in front of him, still debating whether or not he should go through with it. He curled his paws into fists and tried to hype himself up before he threw the punch. He glanced over at Krevier one last time, and with a final reassuring nod, Atlas growled, sending his arm straight down and through the wooden desk. Splinters flew in all directions, Atlas shielded his eyes. His group mates lowered their heads, and so did the other investors, but Krevier remained unmoved. A smile grew upon his face.

"So, you were telling the truth." He stood up and approached Atlas, extending his right arm. "I will grant you the money to continue working on this project." Out of courtesy, Atlas shook the mammal's paw. He backed away and shook his head.

"Actually, sir, we never needed any money. We only wanted to get some important eyes on our creation. Mr. Krevier, I know you have connections to many of Animalia's hospitals, as well as to law enforcement and military operations all across the country. You've seen what it can do, and you know of all the good it will bring. This is why I'm asking you to join me, as well as the rest of Sinewave, in creating a better tomorrow." Krevier looked up at Atlas.

"You're a bold man, Mr. Rhodes. I like that. I accept." Atlas resisted the urge to fist pump the air, as his smile grew as large as it has ever been.

"Thank you, Mr. Krevier. Kylie will set you up with some documents so you can better understand the full procedure." With the mention of her name, Kylie rose from her seat and approached Krevier with the folder she had brought. Atlas stepped away from the two so they could talk. He stared out the window once again. The sun had risen higher in the sky, shining its rays down onto the city below. He smiled. In the window's reflection, he saw Tyson approach him from behind.

"So I guess you didn't really need me here, huh," he said dejectedly.

"To be honest, no. But, we'll definitely be needing you once all of the profit starts rolling in," Atlas replied. Tyson gave a weak smile.

"I guess so," said Tyson as he walked away. Atlas looked over his shoulder to see Kylie finishing up with Krevier. He got up from his seat to join Atlas at the window. He stood to Atlas' left and placed a paw on the window.

"A beautiful view, isn't it Mr. Rhodes," Krevier commented.

"You said it, sir, and call me Atlas." Krevier smiled, placing his arms behind his back.

"Well, Atlas, you may call me 'Diego,'" Atlas shifted his gaze to Zootopia's harbor. The two stood in silence as the other mammals in the room gathered their things. Carrier and Sullivan left first, while Jason, Kylie, and Tyson waited silently at the door for Atlas.

"Hey, Diego," said Atlas, breaking the silence? The wolf glanced up at the lion.

"Yes?" he replied calmly.

"Let's change the world."

The two mammals then left the window together. Everyone left the room together and walked slowly down the corridor, talking as they did. When they arrived at the elevator, Yuri bid Atlas and his crew a goodbye, and watched as the doors closed between them. Once he heard the elevator car begin to move, he retreated back to his office, which was the first door on the left, number 8501. The office matched the rest of the floor's design: dark oak, carpet, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Diego Krevier slowly traversed the office and looked out his window, which was facing north. The view wasn't as breathtaking as the one in the meeting room, but it did give him a perfect view of the District of Tundratown. He smiled and sighed peacefully

The four felines exited the elevator at the ground floor. Atlas waved at the receptionist, making sure to use his left paw. They quickly traversed the courtyard and right there waiting for them in the little driveway was the same black sedan they arrived in. One by one, they crawled into the rear of the car. Atlas closed the door behind them all.

"Driver, return home," said Atlas. A chime was heard over the car's sound system, followed by an automated response.

"Yes, Master Rhodes." replied the car's computer. The vehicle pulled away from the curb and was en route to the Sinewave Corporation's main building. Atlas grabbed himself a bottle of water from the car's refrigerator and cracked it open. After drinking nearly half of it in one go, he looked over at his group mates.

"Well, you guys ready to make a difference?" The cheetah, the lynx, and the snow leopard all nodded. Atlas returned the gesture and smiled.

"Good. It's been a long time coming."

* * *

**~A Quick Author's Note~**

_This is a project that has been buried in the back of my mind for the past few months. It's the reason why I was gone for so long. I wanted to make sure that what I posted was as good as I could make it, and this is the culmination of all that work. I fell short of my 5k word goal, but that's okay. As long as I think it's good enough, it doesn't matter the length. However, I will try my best to have longer chapters for this specific story. Thanks, -Prince._


	2. Chapter 1 - Changes

_Chapter I - Changes_

_**Zootopia – ZPD HQ – September 3rd, 2035**_

Nick closed the door of the police cruiser a little harder than necessary, it's sound echoed throughout the parking garage. He and Judy's shift was nearing its end, and they were on the cusp of capturing a rather elusive criminal who's been quite active within the past few months. With charges such as grand theft auto, street racing, and reckless driving, it was imperative that he be caught soon. What angered Nick so much was the fact that he was able to corner him in an alley, but wasn't able to make the arrest. As he was exiting the car, the culprit had already hopped the fence and disappeared deeper into the city.

"Want me to do the write up?" asked Judy, following close behind Nick. He shook his head.

"No, I'll do it. I'm pretty sure I have most of the important details. The car was a 1990 Nissan 200SX, heavily modified with carbon fiber hood and a massive turbocharger, a large wing on the back, and race tires. On the rear was a badge displaying the word 'Demon' and color..." Nick pondered for a moment. "...fire-engine red." The duo arrived at the exit and walked through the open door. They crossed an empty lot before arriving in the main building of the Zootopia Police Department.

"Well, better get that report in, it's ten to five," Judy said, pointing at the clock in the main hall. Nick glanced over to see that she was right.

"Yeah, I got it. Should only take me about five minutes anyway. What're your plans for the evening?" Nick asked as they entered the offices. Judy shrugged her shoulders.

"A quiet night at home I think," Judy replied. Nick chuckled, nodding his head.

"Yeah, after today, I need some time to relax." Nick sat down at one of the empty computers and logged into his network account. Judy watched as his paws moved swiftly across the keyboard. He filled in all of the required blanks before moving on to the larger boxes of the form. As Nick continued to type, Judy heard footsteps approaching them from behind. She turned her head to see who was coming their way; it was none other than the Chief himself. He had a stern expression on his face and was clutching a sheet of paper in his hooves. He passed them both without saying anything.

Judy continued to watch the Chief as he made his way to the other end of the room. He arrived at the end of the row of cubicles and stopped in front of the office's notice board. There, he pressed the sheet of paper he was holding to the board and tacked it on in all four corners. He took a step back, making sure it was aligned, before turning and walking back toward where she and Nick were stationed. When he was about to pass them on his way back, Judy spoke.

"What was that you put on the board?" she asked. Bogo glanced down at the rabbit.

"Something's come up and I need to speak with every officer in this building. I've also sent out an email to remind of the meeting time," he said coolly.

"What's this about?" she asked again. Bogo shook his head.

"More info will be revealed tomorrow, so be at this meeting. Your jobs depend on it." he looked over at Nick, who was finishing his report. "Right, Wilde?" he added. Without turning around, Nick gave an answer.

"Yep."

"Good," said Bogo before walking away, leaving Nick and Judy alone. Nick finalized his report and hit send. He quickly logged off and hopped out of the desk chair.

"Done, and I am out of here." Both Nick and Judy left the offices at the same time. They passed through the main hall, waving to Ben as they left. They descended the stairs and walked to the staff parking lots. It was there where they said their goodbyes to each other and entered their respective vehicles. After pulling out of the parking lot, they went their separate ways. Judy lived in the south end of Savannah central in a sizable family home, while Nick lived deeper downtown in a high-rise apartment complex.

Although her workplace and home were separated by about twenty kilometers, the drive still took nearly an hour to complete. This was because of the highways heading into and leading out of the city were completely inundated with traffic; bumper to bumper as far as the eye could see. Judy, of course, was no stranger to this, and when she saw the lineup draw nearer she rolled up her window and turned the radio on.

Once she saw her exit, she sighed a sigh of relief, as she no longer had to endure the repetitive nature of Top 50 songs. Her neighborhood was a quiet one, and if you could see through the thick foliage you could catch a glance of the towering structures in the Entertainment and Financial districts of Zootopia's heart. After driving past a multitude of cul-de-sac she found the one where she had been living for the last ten years: Dannielsson street. She pulled into the driveway of the third house on the right, number 411, and cut the power to the engine. After exiting the car she was greeted with silence, just as the suburbs should be. No sounds to be heard except for the occasional power tool and the distant hum of the interstate.

The silence followed her into the house as well, catching her off guard. Typically, there was at least one voice echoing through the house, or at the very least someone left the TV on. She crossed the landing and climbed the stairs into the living room. The kitchen light was on. She crossed the space and looked into the dining room, and there she saw a small bunny, sharing her violet eyes, staring down at a piece of paper with a pencil in his right paw. She smiled. In addition to sharing her eye color, the young bunny shared coat colors as well, although Judy's was a visibly lighter gray than his. He was no older than ten.

"Hi, Soren!" she said. The younger bunny looked up, smiling at the sight of his mother.

"Hi," he replied quietly before looking back down at his paper. Judy walked around the table and stood behind him to see what he was working on.

"How was school today?" she added. Soren shrugged.

"Well they already gave me homework, so not good." Judy took another look at the sheet of paper. It was a multiplication practice sheet, and Soren was already nearing the end.

"It's only multiplication dear, and you're pretty good at all this math right? How long have you been working on this?" Soren put his pencil down and glanced at the clock on the wall behind him.

"Ten minutes, probably," he replied, picking the pencil back up. "I didn't check when I started." Judy chuckled.

"Wow, you're quick! You're almost done too. I was never that good at math when I was in school." Soren flipped the paper over and pointed at it.

"There's another side," he stated.

"That's not a problem for you, now is it?" Judy said, raising an eyebrow. Soren looked over the page, making note of all the duplicate problems.

"No..." he admitted. Judy patted him on the head. Soren giggled.

"Good. So where's Dad?" Judy asked Soren. He pointed through the kitchen at the hallway.

"He's in his office. He said he was gonna be busy." Judy nodded before following his finger. Soren returned to his worksheet. She walked through the kitchen and down the hall. Of the doors that populated the walls, only one of them was closed. On the way she passed Soren's room. The door had the typical ten year old boy décor: a piece of paper with the phrase 'Soren's Room, Keep Out!' taped to it. Judy smiled before knocking on the door across from it. There was no immediate response, but she was able to hear keyboard clicks as well as a voice. She knocked again before opening.

"Hello? I'm home," Judy said with a wave. A gray rabbit peered over the top of one of his monitors to see who had just opened the door. As quickly as he looked, he returned to his computer and finished whatever sentence he was working on. With a firm tap of the enter key, he got up from his chair to greet Judy properly.

"Hey Sweetie, how was your day?" he asked, giving Judy a hug. Judy sighed.

"I don't know. We almost caught that street racer today but he gave us the slip. I think Nick's more bummed about that than I am though. Also, Bogo scheduled a last minute meeting for tomorrow. I asked him what about but he told me everything would be explained in the meeting," Judy replied. "So anyway, anything happen today, Tom?" He shook his head.

"Well I spent the day working on this," he pointed at his computer, "then I picked up Soren from school, he asked me what was for dinner, and I told him to ask you when you got home. Did he?" Judy giggled.

"Slow day, huh? And no, he didn't He was working on homework when I walked in the door." Tom smiled.

"Always on top of things, isn't he?"

"Yeah. Good work ethic and real clever, just like his father," said Judy with a wink.

"And independent just like his mother." Judy gave Tom a peck on the cheek as she turned to leave the room.

"Hey, what is for dinner?" shouted Tom as Judy passed through the door. Judy turned around, shrugging her shoulders.

"The fridge is pretty full...Leftovers?" she asked. Tom nodded.

"Fair enough," he said as he disappeared behind his monitors again.

"Hear that, Soren?" Judy called through the house. A second passed.

"What?" he replied.

"Leftovers tonight!"

"Kay!" Shouted Soren.

_**Zootopia – Wilde Home – Same Day**_

Across town, a white Toyota Tundra pulled into the parking garage of one of Zootopia's many condominium complexes. After pulling into it's assigned space, Nick Wilde, wearing police clothes and aviator sunglasses, hopped out, pressing the lock button on his remote starter. He whistled as he crossed the garage and entered the elevator, pressing the number 17 as he entered. The ride was swift, as he had arrived on his floor within seconds. Stepping out of the elevator he began fiddling with his key chain, searching for the key that would unlock his door. He found the one he was looking for right as he stopped in front of Condo 1707 of the Tamarack Building. Before he could insert the key into the lock however, the door swung open and a smaller fox, about waist height, was standing in the doorway.

"Hi, Dad!" said the smaller fox, eyes glistening in the light. Nick smiled.

"Hey there, Scarlett. How was your day?" Nick asked, kneeling down to embrace his daughter.

Despite being his daughter, they didn't share coat colours. Scarlett resembled her mother more closely in that regard, with Scarlett's being light grey when compared to her mother's pristine white. They did however share eye colors, the same bright emerald green that glistened in the light. Nick let go of Scarlett and closed the door behind him. Scarlett ran down the hall and turned the corner into the kitchen. He followed. Inside, he saw Scarlett standing next to another fox, one with ice blue eyes and white fur stained with what looked like engine oil. On her coveralls above her left breast was a name tag reading 'Skye.' She turned her chair from the kitchen table and stared at Nick, arms crossed and eyebrow raised.

"Er, what's this about?" Nick asked. The white fox glanced at the counter behind her, which was empty. Nick followed her gaze, causing him to remember something important. He gasped. "I...forgot to take dinner out of the freezer," he said dejectedly. Skye nodded.

"Yeah, so what are we doing tonight? Scar's starving," she said. Nick remained silent as he thought of a last minute dinner plan. Skye left her seat and approached Nick. "You have until I get out of the shower to decide." Nick smiled.

"That's good, I would have needed a minute regardless." Skye giggled.

"I'm sure Scarlett'll help you choose," Skye replied, giving Nick a peck on the cheek before leaving the room. Nick looked down at Scarlett, who had just taken her mother's seat at the table. Nick walked across the kitchen and sat down next to her.

"Alright, Princess. We were supposed to have salmon tonight, but that's gonna have to be pushed back to tomorrow. So would you be able to help me decide what to have tonight before Mom gets out of the shower?" Nick asked. Scarlett nodded. "Good. So what were you thinking?"

"Takeout!" shouted Scarlett. Nick raised an eyebrow.

"Really? I thought you were gonna say burgers or something." Scarlett shook her head.

"We have those all the time. We need to go to that place downtown. It's been forever!" Nick knew what she was suggesting. There was a small place not too far from the condo complex that had great food, but since they had fallen into a sort of routine, they hadn't had much reason to go. Nick thought of the last time they went as a family, and was shocked when he couldn't remember.

"You're right. It's been so long I can't remember what I even ordered there." Nick shrugged his shoulders. "Guess it's settled then."

"Awesome!" added Scarlett, jumping out of her seat. "I'll go tell mom!" As she started off toward the bathroom, Nick put a paw on her shoulder and stopped her.

"Ah, Mom's in the shower, we'll tell her after she gets out, okay?" Scarlett's smile disappeared.

"Aw, okay..." she replied. Nick nodded.

"You still didn't tell me what you did today? How was school today?" Nick asked. Scarlett groaned as she sat back down at the table.

"Bad. It's so hard, and the teacher already gave me homework! It's only been one day!" Scarlett complained. Nick rubbed his chin.

"Well yeah fourth grade is gonna be a little harder than third, that's how school works, and what did you get for homework?" Scarlett pointed to the table behind him. Nick turned his head to see that she was pointing at a piece of paper. Upon closer inspection he was able to make out the equations on the page. "Math huh? Well that's easy enough, this is the stuff you were doing last year."

"It's multiplication, and it's not easy. I forgot the answers and the teacher said we can't use a calculator," Scarlett said.

"It's just a matter of remembering how to do it, Sweetie. Once you get a few done, everything will come flooding back." Nick gave a weak smile as he glanced over at Scarlett. She seemed unconvinced.

"Tell you what, let's not worry about this now. Once we're back from dinner I'll help you with the first few, after that you're on your own, sound good?" Nick asked. It took a moment, but Scarlett finally agreed. "Good, now we just wait for Mom to finish her shower..."

For the next twenty minutes, Nick and Scarlett sat in the kitchen waiting for Skye's return. During that time, Nick tried to convince Scarlett to take a look over her homework with him, but Scarlett insisted that they wait until after dinner. The rest of the time was spent talking about Scarlett's first day back at school. The majority of it was typical first day stuff, but there was a particularly worrying bit where she and Soren witnessed a fight between two sixth graders.

"You told the teachers right?" Nick asked, sounding concerned. Scarlett nodded, bringing Nick's anxiety down.

"Yeah. No way I was gonna be able to stop them. They were so much bigger than both of us." Nick sighed.

"Good. I don't know what I would have done if you'd gotten hurt trying to step in." At that moment, Skye returned to the kitchen. No longer in her work clothes and wearing something a little more comfortable, she leaned against the archway.

"What's the verdict?" she asked. Both gave the vixen a confident stare.

"Remember that one place not too far from here? We used to go there all the time?" Nick asked. Skye pondered for a moment. Shortly after, her eyes lit up.

"Ivan's? I love Ivan's! Gosh, it's been so long..." she replied, lifting a paw to her face. Nick left his seat.

"Yeah, that's what I said. I never would have thought of Ivan's, I didn't even remember the name." he glanced over at the small fox still at the table. "We have Scarlett to thank for that." Scarlett beamed.

"Sweet. Shall we go?" Skye asked, pointing toward the door. Scarlett hopped out of her chair and ran past both foxes.

"Alright!" she shouted.

"Yeah, just lemme put some real clothes on first," Nick added.

_**Zootopia – ZPD HQ – September 4th, 2035**_

The atmosphere at the station felt...different. Judy couldn't pinpoint exactly what was different, but she knew for certain that something was. She sensed her colleagues' unease as well. Their usual chipper attitudes toward each other were gone, replaced with the same worry Judy felt in her gut. Everyone was looking at each other differently. It was like the headquarters had suffered a loss, but from what Judy knew, everyone was still accounted for. She was sitting at the front of the building when Nick appeared. She hoped his usual antics would help lift the collective spirit of the force, but even he seemed a little out of it.

The two exchanged greetings but said nothing else before entering the building. Judy looked up to catch a glimpse of Nick's eyes. They were still the same emerald green as always, but perhaps the slightest bit duller than normal. It didn't help that fluorescent light cast an unnatural sheen over them, and it certainly didn't help that it was helplessly overcast outside.

From the highest level of the building, Bogo watched over his employees. He knew they felt it, just as he did. The only difference was he knew the cause. The meeting he had called the day before was nearly upon them, the first of three. He had spent his entire evening preparing everything to be as straight and to the point as possible. He knew what was coming would send shockwaves, not only through the ZPD, but through the entire emergency service industry as a whole. He bit his lip nervously as he glanced at the large clock hanging above the front doors. He sighed softly before retreating to the largest board room the facility had to offer.

Nick observed Bogo leave the balcony railing. He then glanced over at Judy, who was staring at her phone screen, scrolling absentmindedly. Nick flipped his arm over to glance at his watch, which read '8:57.'

"Bogo's on the move. Should we head to the bullpen now?" Nick asked, leaning back against the wall. Judy stopped her scrolling suddenly and turned the display off. She looked up at Nick and shook her head.

"Not yet. The meeting was pretty broad, calling for all staff. I doubt we'll fit everyone in there," she replied. Nick thought about it for a moment before agreeing.

"Right. It's probably going to be in that one room we hold the Christmas party in. I hope he remembered to take down the tinsel," Nick said, a small smile forming on his face. Judy chuckled.

"Oh, I'm sure he did. What I'm worried about is that twenty-foot Christmas tree. Every time we have the party I see a little bit more dust on those branches," Judy added. Nick rolled his eyes and glanced at his watch again. It read nine o'clock even. Right on cue, they heard Bogo's voice over the P.A.

**Would all staff in the building please head to board room 1A for a mandatory meeting. That is board room 1A. Thank you.**

Nick and Judy looked at each other before they left the bench. As the passed the service desk, they met up with Ben Clawhauser, an old friend of theirs. The three walked in silence before joining with other officers and staff members in the large hallway before their destinations. Nick attempted to see what was causing the hold up, but he couldn't see over anyone in front of him. He chalked it up to everyone trying to get through at once, causing a bottleneck.

"What do you think it's about?" asked Ben, speaking over the murmurs of others. Judy shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm not sure, I wish he told us in that email. Maybe then we'd all be a little less jittery about it. Everyone was so tense this morning. I felt it as soon as I walked in," Ben's eyes widened.

"So did I! Maybe it was the way Chief was acting. Usually he's so sure of himself, but today his expression said 'I'm a little lost,'" Ben replied as he too tried to see what was keeping them from advancing. As time went on, the faculty slowly poured into the board room. Once inside, they saw the rows of chairs in front of the small platform at the end of the room. They glanced around, looking for vacant seats. They spotted three near the left wall of the room and claimed them as quickly as possible. The room had the same atmosphere as the rest of the building that day, only amplified. Amusingly, the tinsel was still hanging below the ceiling trim, bringing a little bit of cheer to the room. The tree, however, was nowhere to be seen. The doors to the room closed with a thud and the lights dimmed. Whispers spread throughout the crowd. The stage lights flickered on and Bogo stepped out from the left hand side. Shortly after, a screen rolled down from the ceiling above him. The whispers stopped and everyone turned their focus to the stage.

"So, I'm sure you're all wondering why I've gathered everyone here on such short notice." There were a few murmurs of agreement throughout the crowd. "Well, I wish it were to celebrate something positive, but that's not the case. I'm sure you could all feel it when you walked in this morning. Your unease isn't unwarranted, and I felt it as well. As you know very well, technology is woven into the fabric of life at this point. One cannot succeed without it. It's everywhere we look: In the office, on the streets, and even on our person. If these words sound familiar, then you may follow the work of Mr. Atlas Rhodes of the Sinewave Corporation." Nick raised an eyebrow

"Never heard of him," he whispered. Judy shushed him.

"Pay attention, he's trying to tell us who he is," Judy replied.

"Mr. Rhodes loved technology, but was frustrated with the technology industry's plateau from the mid 2010s to the early 2020s. So, using the company credit card, he began prototyping something that would bring technology even closer to us. Something in the form of replacement limbs. Mr. Rhodes famously cut off his own arm to test his prototypes, as nobody else would do it. After presenting his working prosthetic to Lotus Bank investors, Sinewave Co. has become one of the most valuable companies in Zootopia, nearing three trillion dollars in net worth. They've coined the term 'neuroprosthetic,' meaning a prosthetic that uses existing living nerve endings to power a prosthetic limb, be it an arm, a leg, or otherwise."

"In 2030, Sinewave proposed to the Animalian Armed Forces that all current personnel, as well as all future personnel have their arms at legs replaced with these neuroprosthetics, as they were proven to be stronger, faster, and last longer than any organic counterpart. This was met with relentless backlash from the Armed Forces, as well as the media when it was leaked to them. Regardless, the motion carried and now all of our soldiers possess what they like to call 'cybernetic enhancements.'" Nick raised his arm stood up on his chair.

"Why are you telling us all this? Why didn't you just put this info in the email so we don't have to waste our time?" Nick shouted. Bogo, understandably, was infuriated at the vulpine's interruption.

"Nicholas Wilde I should fire you just for saying that, but that wouldn't do any good. The reason I gathered you all here is because Sinewave is pulling a similar stunt with all of Animalia's emergency services. There's no vote on it, it's already been passed. It's called the Emergency Service Cybernetic Enhancement Implementation Plan, referred to as ESCEI from now on." More chatter emanated from the crowd as the information was revealed. Nick furrowed his brow and slowly lowered himself back into his seat.

"They can't do this to us... it's a violation of our rights..." Nick said breathlessly.

"This is just ludicrous. How're they gonna get everyone to comply with this?" Judy asked aloud.

"They can't," added Ben. The talking grew louder to near intolerable volumes. Bogo attempted to shout over the crowd, but no one would listen. Fed up, he unclipped his microphone and held it in front of the speakers. A loud screech echoed throughout the room, silencing everyone immediately as they blocked their ears. Bogo pulled the mic away from the speakers and reattached it to the collar of his shirt.

"Thank you. Now, this sounds bad. It is bad, but not as bad as you think. To clear things up right away, I do not support this movement. However, the implementation will be a bit different from the one tried in the Armed Forces. For starters, all current emergency workers will not be forced into the plan, meaning that if you are employed by any emergency service center in Animalia before the end of 2035, you will not have to get your limbs replaced." Bogo waited a moment to allow the crowd to discuss, however everyone kept their mouths shut. "All current employees will be able to opt into the program if they so wish."

"Second, officers working in the field will still be able to do so for a while longer. Until the end of the year 2040, all officers who have opted out of the cybernetic enhancement plan will still be able to operate as normal. Once this period ends, they have the option to either opt in and receive the enhancements, or opt out once again and lose the ability to serve and protect in the streets." After hearing this, Judy's shifted to one of dread.

"So for those of us who don't want to have our limbs chopped off, we only have five years left to be officers?" shouted one of the crowd members. Bogo looked on with a frown.

"Put simply, and bluntly, yes. You'll still be able to work for the ZPD, but you won't be permitted to go out on patrols and respond to 9-1-1 calls."

"So some of us will be reduced to office jockeys on no fault of our own, then." shouted another. Bogo was growing impatient.

"Of course not, you can always quit," he retorted, a scowl forming on his face. The crowd was growing restless, and shouts of frustration and discontent reverberated through the room,

"How is that fair to us?" shouted Judy. Bogo snapped.

"It's not fair. I know that, okay? They should have considered our point of view on this, but they didn't. At least be glad they gave you the option to say no. When they did this with the AAF, those who didn't comply were discharged. I'd ask you to check it out online, but I'm certain you won't like what you'll find. Be grateful there's a five year grace period before the start of the plan. Be grateful that you won't lose your job. I, as well as thousands of other police chiefs are trying to get this reversed as we speak, so you could all be worrying for nothing. So I suggest you quit your crying, hold you head high, and be proud of who you are, because you are ZPD officers and you fear nothing. Not criminals, not terrorists, and certainly not change. In short, you'll live. Dismissed." Bogo concluded. He headed toward the steps to the left of the stage but stopped halfway. "I know this is a lot to process, so take an extra hour of lunch today," he added.

The confused and irritable crowd began rising from their seats and heading toward the exit. Since they were at the back of the room, Judy, Nick, and Ben were among the first to leave. Ben took his usual position at the front desk, while Nick and Judy headed toward the cruiser lot, having already received their assignments for the day.

Hours later came their lunch break, normally thirty minutes. Nick and Judy, instead of going out, decided to return to the HQ after wanting to talk more with other faculty members about such a dramatic change in the policing ecosystem. They navigated the hallways, making their way to the break room. It was a large open room with tile flooring and large wooden tables filling the middle. There were a few vending machines lining the walls, as well as a mini kitchen complete with refrigerator, toaster oven, and a kettle. Nick and Judy scouted Ben at the counter next to the fridge as they sat down at a vacant table. Once they made eye contact, they beckoned him over.

"Whatcha got there, Spots?" asked Nick as Ben set his plate down on the table.

"Ah, just a little somthin' I whipped up yesterday," he replied. Nick looked over the plate. There were a plethora of different vegetables as well as what looked to be salmon pieces sprinkled throughout.

"I see...So, about the whole ESCEI thing..." Nick began. Ben was about to take a bite of his meal, but stopped halfway through.

"Oh! Right, well, I don't exactly know how to feel about it. I don't normally do field work, so, you know, it doesn't really affect me. I'll still be able to operate reception as I normally would." Nick nodded.

"Well, Nick and I spent our entire patrol, and mean _entire _patrol talking about it. We came up with positives, like efficiency and the obvious benefits of increased speed and strength. We'd be able to do more in one day than ever before."

"Having supercharged cops is a pretty good deterrent for would-be criminals," added Nick.

"But then, there are the drawbacks. The initial surgery, the months upon months of recovery and rehabilitation, the possibility of having to go through training again, and most of all, our families..."

"I was originally willing to do this, but then I thought about how Scar and Skye would see me differently. Becoming this...cyborg would be such a huge change for them, too."

"That's the deciding factor. If I had nothing to lose at home, then I'd be first to sign up. But I'm not the same officer I was all those years ago. I have a family to provide for, and I have to keep them in mind when making this decision." Judy said, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. A small smile formed at the corner of Nick's mouth.

"Couldn't have said it better myself, Carrots,"

"So you two are opting out?" Ben asked.

"That's how it's gotta be. Some things just aren't worth the risk," replied Judy.

"Besides, we've been out there for years, maybe it's time to let some of the younger officers have the spotlight. The future is now, Ben. Maybe our replacements will be of the cyborg variety, who knows?" added Nick. Ben sighed.

"So here ends the super crime fighting duo of Hopps and Wilde, huh? It's a shame really." Judy chuckled.

"Hey, we still have five years left," said Nick

"And after this long, a cushy desk job doesn't sound half bad compared to all the crap we've been subjected to out there," added Judy. Ben smiled and rolled his eyes.

"What happened to you two? You used to love catching crooks," Ben asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Having a kid changes you, Ben. You realize there's more to life than just work," said Nick. The cheetah smirked.

"I get it...you've gone soft!" he accused. Nick sat up straight and pointed a finger at Ben

"Now you listen here pal, the only thing here that's soft here is your gut!" Ben gasped.

"Yeah? Well you...you..." Ben lightly slammed a closed fist on the table's surface "You win," Nick and Judy both burst out laughing. Ben smiled as he watched them.

* * *

**~A Quick Author's Note~**

_I wasn't sure if I should post this separately, because this is only one fifth of the stuff I have planned. Once I saw the word count of this part, I figured I would split it for two reasons, one being it was already quite long, and second, because I haven't posted in a while. This is the first time I've really been invested in writing something, as I have gotten bored with other projects rather quickly compared to this one. I know, it's just the beginning, but so much more effort has already gone into fleshing this one out. _

_This was originally going to be a massive addon to the prologue part of the story, as the story I want to tell involves the seldom mentioned characters of Soren and Scarlett. I didn't want to just toss them into the story and say 'these are Hopps and Wilde's kids,' I wanted to give them an identity beforehand. These coming chapters will develop these characters to the versions I originally created, and will allow me to tell the story I want to tell. _

_Finally, to the few who have already read the first chapter before the release of this one, I thank you for your time. -Prince_


	3. Chapter 2 - Set Me Free

_Chapter II – Set Me Free_

_**Zootopia – Hopps Home – March 21**__**st**__**, 2041**_

The front door creaked open, allowing the little sunlight that was able to pierce the overcast skies into the entrance of the house. Soren peered into the living room, wondering why the house was so dark. He climbed the small set of stairs into the living room and saw that both its and the dining room shades were drawn. He raised an eyebrow, confused, but continued deeper into the house. He called out, but no response. He got to thinking. Both vehicles were in the driveway, and he knew his mother had the day off, but neither of them answered him. Maybe they were in the backyard? Soren walked down the hall past the kitchen and entered the room at the very end. He quickly glanced through the window to see that the backyard was empty, crossing his first theory off the list.

_Mom probably wanted to get out of the house for a bit and dragged Dad out with her. _He thought. _It seems like a Mom thing to do, especially after staying in all day._

Soren left the window and made his way back to his room. It was just the way he left it that morning; bed made, shade up, floor clear of any clutter. He closed the door behind him and set his school bag down on his bed. He unzipped the largest section and removed a laptop computer from its sleeve along with its power brick. He turned around and set it down gently on the desk behind him before diving underneath to plug the power brick into the wall. It was muscle memory from there, he knew exactly where the usual socket was for the plug. After plugging in the adapter with no issue, he resurfaced, opening the lid and allowing the machine to wake back up. It was his prized possession; his parents had gotten the laptop for him for Christmas, as well as a gift for his excellent academic performance throughout the years. The sleek brushed aluminium lid and the soft plastic had a matte black finish, broken only by the vivid RGB accents. From what he had heard from his father the machine had cost them a pretty penny, so he took extra care of it, more so than any other device he owned.

The fans whirred to life as the lock screen appeared. Soren glanced into the array of sensors hidden in the top bezel of the display. The screen flashed a welcome message before loading into the desktop. He smiled, still impressed by the lightning fast facial recognition. Soren sat down in his cushy office chair, admiring his machine for a second before putting his left paw on the keyboard over the WASD keys, and gripping his mouse with his right. He sat in that position for a moment before slipping slightly in his seat. He sighed.

_Now what? _He thought.

Soren glossed over the icons on his desktop, searching for something, anything to do. His schoolwork was done, he rarely had homework, and he wasn't about to spend another night on the game he was currently playing. He had spent all of the previous night trying to get through one area to no avail. He didn't feel like going through that again and opted to take a small break. He reluctantly opened Steam anyway and began browsing the store page.

"Wish I had more money," Soren joked as he scrolled through the store's contents. His absent-minded scrolling and his fixation to the screen was broken by the sound of the front door creaking open, followed by the familiar voices of his parents. Soren shut the lid of his laptop and rubbed his eyes before leaving his chair and heading down the hallway to greet them. "Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad," he called as he turned the corner.

Soren's father, Tom, looked up from the coat rack and waved.

"Hey, Kiddo. How long have you been home?" Soren thought for a moment.

"Twenty minutes maybe?" he replied. Soren didn't know the exact answer himself, all he knew was that he was pretty far down the store page before he heard the door open. "Not too long," he added.

Judy walked between the two and turned the corner, disappearing down the hallway. Soren looked over and watched her enter her bedroom. He returned his gaze to his father, who had made his way up the stairs and was now sitting on the couch. He groaned as he allowed himself to sink into the cushions. Tom picked up the remote off the armrest and turned the TV on. It was still on the Weather Channel; which Soren had left it on before leaving for school that morning. It was uncharacteristically warm for mid-March, with the current outside temperature being in the mid-sixties.

"It's hot outside," Tom complained. Soren left the corner and sat on the opposite end of the couch from his father. He rested his legs on the coffee table.

"It's alright," Soren replied. He recalled to his walk home where he rolled up the sleeves on his hoodie. "A little warm but it's alright. Did Mom drag you outside?" He added. Tom shook his head.

"Yep, she wanted me to jog but I told her that she was lucky enough to get me out of my office. I was working on something pretty important before she literally pulled my off my chair." Soren chuckled.

"Sounds like Mom." Judy emerged from the hallway and saw her two boys sitting on the couch. She crossed the room and joined them, sitting between them. She glanced at the TV and saw a live radar map of Zootopia and the surrounding area. She raised an eyebrow.

"Why're you watching the Weather Channel?" she asked.

"We were talking. Not paying attention." Soren replied. All three then glanced at the TV at the same time. They watched the colors shimmer and shift, indicating different levels of precipitation.

"Anything interesting at school today?" Judy asked as she reached for the remote to change the channel.

"Nope. No homework either. Gonna be a slow night tonight," Soren replied, now staring at the ceiling. Tom tilted his head back to match the angle of Soren's. He turned to look at him.

"Have you played around with Packet Tracer yet?" he asked. Soren met his father's gaze and groaned.

"Yes, Dad, I played around with Packet Tracer. It was very boring." Tom sat up.

"That's because you don't know how to use it," he added, pointing at his son, a large grin on his face. Soren rolled his eyes.

"Of course I don't know how to use it. It doesn't even come with instructions, and I'm pretty sure I don't want to be a network engineer," Soren replied.

"Oh, come on. All you need is a little push. I'll show you the ropes after dinner. Besides, how do you know you don't want to be a network engineer? You like computers, right?" Soren sat up as well.

"I like computers, just not what you do with them. I like playing computer games. And, I already know what I want to be." Soren added. Judy glanced at her son from the corner of her eye.

"Is that right? What would that be?" asked Tom. Soren closed his eyes and placed his arms behind his head. A lazy grin formed on his face.

"It's a secret. You'll find out when I send out my applications." Tom scoffed.

"I'm not paying anything until I know for sure my son isn't an art major."

"I'm artistically challenged, Dad. It's not art." Soren replied. "What's for dinner?"

Judy's ears lifted. "Oh! That reminds me, we're having company tonight. I invited Uncle Nick and his family." Soren burst into laughter but quickly composed himself.

"_Uncle _Nick? Why do you call him that? He's not my uncle."

"Obviously. It's just because we've known each other for years at this point. Plus, you see him more often than any of your actual uncles," Judy argued. Soren rolled his eyes before standing up.

"Uh huh. So what does that make Scarlett then, my cousin? That's weird. How long are they gonna be? I want to have a shower," Soren replied. Judy tapped her foot on the floor as she thought.

"Better be quick. They'll be here in twenty minutes." Soren nodded.

"I'll do you one better; ten minutes." Soren said with a smile. Judy chuckled.

"Better get going, timer starts now," Judy replied as she removed her phone from her pocket. Soren bolted around as the thought of showing up his mother caused adrenaline to flow through him. He turned the corner and entering the washroom, locking the door behind him and turning on the water. He stripped off his clothing, tossing it aside with no regard for where it landed and hopped into the glass enclosure of the shower.

…

Showered and dressed in fresh clothes, Soren emerged into the living room to see that the guests had already arrived; a lot sooner than he had expected. His first instinct was to find his mother, who had presumably been timing him on his shower. He found her in the kitchen chopping some greens for a salad of some kind.

"How long was I?" asked Soren as he swiped a piece of chopped celery from the cutting board.

"Fifteen, but I heard the water stop running before ten. Also, the Wildes arrived sooner than I thought. They told me they left a bit early since they didn't have anything to do today," replied Judy.

"Kay," said Soren, leaving the kitchen. Joining his father on the rather large sectional couch were Nick, his S/O Skye, and Soren's schoolmate Scarlett. He had always wondered why his family of three owned such a large couch, but with three foxes populating its cushions it didn't seem so excessive at that moment. With plenty of room to spare, Soren took an open at the end closest to Scarlett. He looked over at her, who was listening in on the conversation between her mother and Soren's father, who were both what they called themselves 'gearheads.'

"Hey, you finish that essay?" Soren asked, breaking her concentration. Scarlett turned to face Soren, who had turned his gaze to the TV, which was now playing some show about cars. Scarlett raised an eyebrow.

"What essay?" she replied, sounding unconcerned. Soren sat up, placing his paws on his knees and gave her a look, his mouth slightly ajar.

"Really?" Soren asked, somewhat shocked. While he was trying to find the words to chastise her with, Scarlett laughed once and gave Soren a light slap to his shoulder.

"Relax, of course I finished the essay. Easiest essay of my life," she added. Soren sighed and sank into his seat. "What I haven't finished though is that thing for career studies." Soren glanced at her, confused.

"What? I found that easier than the essay. How haven't you finished it?"

"Okay, it's like I have what I want to say in my head, but then it doesn't translate well at all when I put it on paper," Scarlett replied, annoyed with herself. Soren nodded.

"Well, if you'd like, I could help you with that," Soren offered, a smile forming on his face. Scarlett scoffed.

"How? I don't carry around copies of my documents like you do." Soren shook his head.

"I stopped doing that. Besides, I have a copy of the sheet saved. Just fill out the parts you haven't yet and combine the two documents when you get home. The copy will be saved on the Drive and I can even email it to you if you need me to. Career studies is in third period so if you somehow forget to do that when you get home or tomorrow morning, you'll have the lunch break to do it as well." Scarlett raised an eyebrow and smiled. The two stared at each other for a moment before Soren continued. "Or if that's too complicated I could just give you a pen and paper and we can write it out by hand and you can add it to your own copy…" Soren added.

"I think I know how the Drive works, Soren." Soren nodded and turned his gaze to the floor.

"Right," he sighed. "So, did you want to or?" Soren asked, drawing out the last word as he waited for a response.

"Yeah, actually. I think talking about it would help me out," Scarlett said. With that, Soren rose from the couch and started towards his room. He looked over his shoulder and beckoned Scarlett with a finger. She rolled her eyes as she got up. She didn't need the directions, she had been in the Hopps home many times, she knew where Soren's room was. Judy watched them as they passed by the kitchen.

"Everything'll be done in about forty minutes, so don't start any games," she said casually.

"Kay!" shouted Soren as he entered his room. Judy smiled to herself, but it quickly dissipated as she returned to the conversation going on in the living room, which she was only half paying attention to. She glanced over towards the couch, where Skye and her husband were still discussing cars. She couldn't understand any of the jargon they were using and decided it would be in her best interests to not get a headache trying to understand them.

On the other end, Nick caught wind of Judy's stares and used it as an opportunity to mouth the words 'help me,' as he, too, couldn't understand a word of what either of them were saying. Judy chuckled, acknowledging Nick's joke. Seeing that she was finished with all the meal prep, and the mains wouldn't need to be checked on for another twenty minutes, she made her way into the living room, sitting at the free end where the kids were previously sitting.

"I wish I could join them, but they _really _know their stuff. Five seconds in and I get lost!" Nick explained.

"Yeah, but they probably feel the same way when we talk about work. I tried talking to Soren about it yesterday and he looked at me like there was a ghost behind me. I just told him to forget it and he walked away," Judy replied. Nick nodded, returning his gaze to the TV.

"Yup. I can't talk to anyone about cop stuff except to other cops. It's one of those things where 'if you know, you know.' And unlike cars, it's not something that many mammals have as a hobby. It's why I got into reading and writing. You can talk to _anyone _about that stuff," Nick added.

"I've been reading recently too. I guess you're starting to rub off on me. I'm also reading those old classics that I read back in high school because of Soren's English classes." Nick nodded.

"That's good. Hey, did I tell you that I helped Scar pick out her independent study book this year?"

"Oh? That's great! Did she like it?" Judy asked.

"Yeah!" said Nick enthusiastically. "We discussed it pretty much the whole time she was reading through it, and now that she's finished, we've been spitballing some ideas for her report on it. If I'm honest, I'm glad she's not completely apathetic about it like I was when I was in school," he added.

"Yeah, I've never had that problem with Soren, he's always been engaged. But recently it feels like he isn't being challenged enough as he's often bored with his work," Judy replied dejectedly.

"Mm. I'm sure that attitude will disappear. They're only in the tenth grade. It gets harder from there and college will present a whole slew of new challenges. Of course, this won't be a problem for Soren because he'll be at an Ivy League school." Judy blushed, twiddling her thumbs absentmindedly.

"Oh, that sounds expensive…"

"Shouldn't matter, he's smart enough for a scholarship!" Nick added quickly. After a moment of silence from them they both burst into laughter, loud enough to interrupt the other conversation going on at the same time. Tom leaned over as Skye looked over her shoulder. Nick and Judy glanced at each other.

"Don't mind us, keep talking about 'exhaust manifolds' or whatever," said Judy.

…

As Soren turned the light on and went to tend to his laptop, Scarlett made herself comfortable on his bed. Soren made quick work pulling up the career studies document. As he was about to hand the laptop off to her, he painstakingly disabled all lighting effects and even lowered the display's refresh so it wouldn't die in her paws. Carefully, he spun himself around and stepped forward as Scarlett propped herself against the headboard.

"Open your legs a bit so it doesn't suffocate," Soren said, concerned. Scarlett rolled her eyes but said nothing. She stared at the blank page. One minute became five and not a single sentence she typed had remained on the page for more than ten seconds. Soren, tired of waiting, decided to speak up. "What section are you trying to fill right now?" he asked.

"The first one," growled Scarlett. She rubbed her eyes out of frustration.

"The 'What do you want to be and why?' section?" replied Soren.

"Ugh, yes! I filled out every other box but this one! I just don't know how to put my thoughts into words!" Scarlett shouted.

"Really? How'd you fill out the other ones without doing the first one?" Scarlet growled audibly.

"I don't know it just happened. Now're you gonna help me or not?" Soren furrowed his brow.

"Hey, no need to be rude. If you want my help, start talking," said Soren coolly. Scarlett sighed.

"You're right, sorry… Okay, so, you already know I want to be a police officer, right?" Scarlett began. Soren nodded.

"Yeah, same as me."

"I want to say something other than 'I want to do this because I want to help mammals.' I don't want it to sound shallow or basic," Scarlet added. Soren scratched his neck and nodded.

"I guess, but you _do _want to help mammals, right?" Soren asked. Scarlett nodded her head yes. "Okay, how about this; instead of answering the question on the page, answer this one: 'Why do you want to help mammals as a police officer?'" Soren stared Scarlett straight in the eyes as he asked this question. Scarlett remained silent, Soren's words echoing in her mind. Without fully realizing it, she began filling out the box on the page in front of her. Soren nodded and pulled his phone from his pocket. Scarlett continued typing for another minute before stopping. Hearing the silence, Soren looked up at the fox.

"Well, it's something," Scarlett said dryly. She turned the screen towards Soren. Soren hopped off his chair and walked to his bedside to get a better look at what was written.

_I want to be a police officer when I grow up, and not just because I want to help my community. My father, Nicholas Wilde, was the first fox officer in ZPD history, and I want to continue that legacy. Police officer isn't a very popular career choice for foxes, but that won't deter me. I want to be a police officer because it will be a challenge, and every little accomplishment I make will be that much more rewarding. I want mammals to look at me and know that they are safe. I understand that there is a lot of work to be done before I can do this, but I am willing to give everything I must to realize this._

"You came up with this in a minute?" Soren asked. Scarlett shrugged her shoulders. "Damn… that's some good stuff right there." A weak smile formed on Scarlett's face.

"I guess your little push was the one I needed," Scarlett replied.

"Yeah…" An awkward silence filled the room. The two exchanged glances at each other, making the whole situation even more awkward. Scarlett closed the laptop and placed it to her right. She then hopped off the bed and reached for the computer once more. She picked it up and passed it back to Soren, who was staring out his window, fruitlessly hoping the blush under his fur would go away. Scarlett tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to jump.

"Er, here," she said, extending her arms. Soren composed himself and took his computer back.

"Ah, thanks. Heh." Soren placed the laptop back in its spot on the desk. As he did so, he heard his mother calling them from outside. Scarlett's ears peaked. The two left Soren's room and joined their parents in the kitchen, who were already fixing their plates for dinner. They quickly followed suit and took their seats next to each other at the dinner table. Once everyone was seated the conversations restarted.

"Thank you guys for coming over on such short notice. It's just been a while, y'know?" said Judy as she prepared herself a portion of the salad she made earlier.

"Oh, it's no problem. This all looks fantastic, by the way," replied Skye. Nick nodded.

"Mm, tastes good too. Good job, Fluff," he added. Judy beamed.

"Thank you both!" While the adults conversed, Soren and Scarlett ate in silence. They were able to get away with finishing their entire plates without any of their parents calling on them. Scarlett finished her meal first and returned to the kitchen for a second portion while Soren was still working on his first. When Scarlett returned, she found that her, as well as Soren's parents, were staring at their side of the table. She nudged Soren, who hadn't seemed to notice. He looked up from his plate to see the same sight as Scarlett. He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes?" Soren asked.

"You two've been so quiet. Something wrong?" asked Judy. Soren glanced briefly at Scarlett before replying.

"Nope."

"Well, why don't you join the conversation a bit, huh? Why don't you tell us how your day went?" added Tom. Soren sighed quietly as he lifted his head.

"Same old, same old, Dad. Finished my essay for English class, math class was slow, we spent third period looking at schools for career studies, and we played volleyball in phys ed. Nothing interesting," Tom's eyes lit up.

"Ah, career studies. I had that class when I was in high school. Is it still the same as when I was a student or did they change it up?" Soren lifted a paw to his chin.

"Hmm, not sure. Did they force you to write a resume, have you look through stacks upon stacks of post-secondary viewbooks, and have mock job interviews every week? They also do this thing where they bring someone in to talk about their college or university and try to convince you to spend money at their institution. Sound familiar, Dad?" Tom stared for a moment before nodding his head.

"Sounds pretty familiar, except for that last bit. Do they still make you take career aptitude tests?" Tom asked.

"I think schools realized that those tests were meaningless a long time ago, Dad."

"Oh," replied Tom, a little disappointed. His attitude quickly rebounded as he asked his son another question. "What school were you thinking of going to then? You could go to Trent like your old man!" exclaimed Tom, adding a wink at the end of his sentence. Soren chuckled.

"Maybe. But wait, isn't that a super tech-y school? I told you I'm not interested in computers that way. Besides, spending so many hours looking through those viewbooks have opened my eyes quite a bit. Out of all of them though, the University of Animalia's Zootopia has a pretty good Police Foundations program." The mention of the word 'police' caused Judy's ears to droop. With what was going on in the law enforcement world at the moment, it was the last thing she wanted to hear out of her son's mouth. She glanced over towards Nick, who was showing signs of concern as well, his eyes wide. "Hey, Mom, that's where you went, right?" Soren asked, snapping Judy back to the real world.

"Uh, yes, but-" she said shakily.

"Ah, even better! You'll have no trouble getting into that school, Kiddo," said Tom with a smile.

"Thanks. Mom, what police college did you go to again?" asked Soren. Judy hesitated.

"Um, I'll tell you later." Desperate to change the subject, she directed her attention to Scarlett, who was looking on with confusion. "Scarlett, why don't you tell us what you want to be?" The sudden shift of focus caught Scarlett off guard. She mumbled for a second to collect herself.

"Yeah, I wanna be a cop too, but I doubt I'll get into UA Zootopia," she said, taking a bite of her green beans. It was now Nick's turn to hide his concern. Skye saw him tense up but said nothing. Soren scoffed.

"The requirements aren't as steep as you think. Yeah, it's UA Zootopia, but it's not like you're taking nuclear medicine or biochem. Just do good in English, math, and law and you'll be good. Plus, I can help you with anything school related." Scarlett shrugged her shoulders.

"I guess. Trafalgar has a decent Police Foundations course too if it comes to that."

"Thinking ahead now, aren't we?" asked Judy. Soren's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, that's the point of the class. It's to make sure we're still not completely clueless by the time senior year rolls around and it's time to send out applications," Soren replied.

"If I recall correctly that class is also to allow you to see career options that you may not have considered before," added Nick, somewhat passive aggressive. Scarlett was instantly able to pick up on her father's tone and went on the defensive.

"And what is that supposed to mean, exactly?" Scarlett said bitterly, tilting her head.

"What it means is that you should spend some more time thinking about your future career. You still have a few years to go," replied Nick. Scarlett's demeanor fell as she looked down towards the table. The responses Soren was hearing leave Nick's mouth were less than approving, and he wasn't exactly a fan of hearing his friend's father break her down like that.

"So what exactly are you trying to say here, that we can't be officers? Why not? Afraid that we'll one up you or something?" Soren's calm tone gradually rose in volume until he was practically shouting. Adrenaline rushed through his veins as he said the last sentence. Nick, taken aback by the young buck's words, said nothing. He simply sank deeper into his chair, brooding.

"Soren!" shouted Judy in return. "Apologize to Nick, now!"

"Uh, did you not just hear what he said?" Soren replied. He was shaking now.

"Yeah, I heard what he said. He said that you should give a little more thought before deciding on a career path," Judy explained, but Soren wasn't having any of it. Scarlett lifted her head back up She, too, was angry.

"Still, why would you word it like that? Do you have any idea how dismissive that sounded?" asked Scarlett. "It's almost like you were trying to say I should pick something else!" Nick furrowed his brow.

"That's because I was," he admitted. Scarlett's ears fell flat against her head as she grew more frustrated, more confused.

"You two need to understand that we only ask you to reconsider because we care about you," added Judy. Soren scoffed

"Okay? That doesn't mean anything to me. I want to know why," he demanded. Judy didn't respond, she simply stared at her son through misty eyes. Soren shifted his stare to Nick, who was staring back at him just as intensely. Suddenly, Scarlett stood up, forcing her chair backwards. She slammed her paws on the table, causing its occupants to jump. The sound of rattling dinnerware echoed through the dining room.

"What the fuck gives you the right to shit all over my ambitions?" Scarlet shouted, nearly growling. "Why can't you be supportive? What's going on?"

"The policing world is changing; we just want what's best for you. Take it from us," replied Nick coolly. The realization came suddenly to Soren. He knew exactly of the changes Nick spoke of. He clenched his paws into fists.

"I get it now… I know why you're so adamant about getting us to change our minds." Soren pointed a finger at Nick. "You thought we wouldn't notice? You think we're stupid? All this is about the cybernetic limbs, huh?"

Soren's accusations were dead on the money. Now on the defensive, Judy attempted to calm her son down.

"Yes, but-"

"What? I keep up with this stuff, you know. I've seen them. Officers on the street have them. Are you trying to make them into a deterrent? Because that won't change my mind." Scarlett nodded as she crossed her arms.

"I don't think you should get to dictate my career choices because you don't like what's going on," Scarlett added. Nick was quick to respond.

"It's not safe. Nothing is worth having to saw off your arms and legs. Now, you should listen to us because you're not old enough to make life changing decisions like that."

"So now I can't even choose my own career? Fuck you, Dad," Scarlett replied bluntly. Nick raised an eyebrow.

"Fuck me, huh? Well good luck getting into college without any money. I won't support you." After hearing those words, Scarlett wanted nothing more than to punch her father square in the jaw.

"Nicholas!" shouted Skye, who had been subjected to the intense bickering for the past ten minutes. Her daughter continued to stare at Nick, at a loss for words.

"You can pick anything else," Nick added. With that final comment, Scarlet turned and began walking away. Soren began to extend his arm out to her but stopped himself. Instead, he withdrew it and gave both Nick and his mother an icy stare.

"Anything else?" he asked quietly. Judy, fighting back tears at this point, reached across the table and put a paw on her son's shoulder.

"Please reconsider," she said. Soren pushed her mother's arm away.

"No." Soren left the table to join Scarlett, who was on the landing ready to leave the house. He caught up to her and they both left together. The parents watched through the window as they passed by the dining room. The tension in the room was thick, and no one dared to speak. Finally, Tom, the one who was silent throughout the entire fight, spoke.

"What was that? I mean, one minute we we're talking about the future, then the next everyone was at each other's throats!"

"They'll come around," Nick began. "They'll realize that it isn't worth it and they'll change their minds." Tom lifted an arm.

"That didn't answer my question. And you were talking about cyber- what now?"

"Cybernetic limbs," said Judy. "It's what all first response workers and soldiers must have in order to serve. We protested for years against this, but we couldn't get them to drop it. It came into effect January 1st. Since then, Nick and I have only been doing office work."

"There was a 5-year grace period in which those with normal arms and legs could work next to those who opted into the limb replacement. That time is up now, so all aspiring police officers who wish to do actual police work must have the limbs," added Nick. This was all new information to Tom, as well as Skye.

"I didn't know it was that bad…" said Skye.

"Mhmm. I don't want Scar to do this because of how risky it is. Being an officer of the law was already dangerous enough, but now with the added cybernetic stuff, it adds such a danger to her so early in."

"You're right, but I still don't think telling her to her face that you won't support her was taking it too far, Nick," replied Skye. Nick was about to argue but Skye's glare shut him up.

The four parents began clearing the table after a moment of silence. Leftover food was packed away in containers and stored in the fridge and dishes were placed in the dishwasher. They had planned to talk more with their children after dinner, but seeing that they were gone, that was no longer possible. Since they left, conversation was minimal. After more awkward silence, Nick and Skye eventually decided that it was time to leave.

"We'll just text Scarlett to see where they are and we'll go pick them up," said Skye. Judy and Tom nodded as the foxes left. They watched as their car pulled out of their driveway and disappeared down the road. Twenty minutes later, the car returned, dropping off a grey-furred bunny at the end of the driveway. They watched as he walked up to the house and opened the door.

"Soren!" Judy shouted. Soren climbed the small staircase into the living room, giving his mother an icy stare the whole way through.

"Not. Now," he said through his teeth. Judy watched, heartbroken, as Soren marched down the hall to his room, slamming the door upon entry. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she allowed herself to fall onto the couch behind her.

* * *

**~A Quick Author's Note~**

Aha! I am not dead! I was just busy suffering through my first semester at college. Now in my second semester, I have a lot more free time (I only go to class three days a week now), meaning I may be able to come back and put some stuff out. Now for this chapter, some of it was written during this week, some of it was written in September. I had to come back and read my past chapters to remember what I was even doing with this. I remember.

Thanks for reading! -Prince


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